After some time
by Titania of Fairy Tail
Summary: It's been a few years after the comet and Aang wants to propse. Katara runs away, ending the relationship, and runs right into the arms of the newly single Fire Lord. They both know that they love each other but they just don't know how to confess. Rated T to be safe.


**Zutara3 I adore this couple so much! They are so cute! This is my first Zutara so please go easy on me **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender because if I did Toph and Aang would have been a couple, Sokka and Suki, and Zuko and Katara. Lol**

**XxxX**

Katara stared off the edge of the Southern Water Tribes boat. She needed to get out of the South Pole as fast as possible. Katara and Aang had been together for three years after the end of Sozin's Comet and then they finally called it quits. It started off great, wonderful to be more exact. And now, as Katara thought back on it, she realized that she was always wondering- wishing- waiting for something.

Maybe even someone… Amber…. Black like coal…. Pale skin… A burn with a deeper meaning than what you could see on the surface… and a heart with feelings burning as hot as the fire he could bend… Katara always found herself pining over the raven haired Firelord in the back of her mind for the past four years.

And it only got worse after Aang said he loved her. Katara had never felt love for Aang. Yes she loved the Avatar, but not in the way that he loved her.

So when he had confessed it had been quite the shock. She hadn't been able to speak, or even blink so Aang took that as a good sign. And even after, when Katara would try to bring up anything about their relationship he would avoid it.

And that went on for 3 years. Like she had said, the first year had been great until he confessed.

So now, she was on a ship heading from the Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation. She was only one night's sleep away from seeing Zuko.

The boy she had realized she'd been in  
love with since he showed up in front of them at the Western Air Temple. She hadn't been able to understand it, but when her waterbending clashed against his firebending in the North Pole while Aang was in the spirit world she had felt a connection to the lonesome prince.

One such a connection that she still felt very strongly with him, who was now very much her best friend, today. Everytime they, Katara and Zuko, clashed- bending wise or word wise- that connection would only grow stronger.

The connection- no _Bond_- that the two shared was one that neither had ever had with anyone before. It wasn't like a bond that Katara had with Sokka who was now married to Suki with twins, or with Aang even who she had left all alone in the Southern Water Tribe.

She hadn't even felt a connection like this with her bestfriend Toph, or either of her Parents Hakoda or Kaya. Zuko and Katara couldn't explain this 'bond', only say that it was one that made them feel comfortable around one another.

Even when she would say that she hated him, or threaten him, or fight with him, or when he would do the same to her- they always felt comfortable in some way around one another. They had no true fear that the other would try to kill them.

Even if Zuko shot a fire ball right at Katara's face she didn't think Zuko would try to kill her. She knew he wouldn't try to kill her. And the same went for her beloved fire lord.

"Lady Katara, our ship will be arriving in the Fire Nation in a little over 14 hours, you should get some rest." Lau-rei, an elderly woman who worked on the ship informed Katara. The woman appeared to be in her late 60's and looked similar to Gran-Gran.

Katara smiled gently and nodded, feeling her heart beat increase slightly. She was almost in the Fire Nation… Had Zuko gotten the letter she had sent him?

Would he come to greet her like she had hoped or would he send someone because he was too busy, being the Fire Lord and ruling over the great Fire Nation which was becoming even greater than it had ever been in a long time.

"Thank you very much Lau-rei." Katara said to the kind woman before heading to her room.

She was still wondering in the back of her mind why she had chosen to run to the Fire Nation after she left Aang.

But when Aang got down on one knee, pulled out a beautifully handcrafted betrothal necklace she couldn't help it.

She left all of her things there, shook her head dealing with the tears rolling down her face, said no and apologized-ending the relationship, and running out of their hut to the docks.

Aang didn't try to stop her.

She ran and hopped on the first boat she saw, not knowing where it went. As she was in a room she thought of where she could go.

To see Sokka and Suki maybe, no they were busy taking care of their twin children and Suki was pregnant with another one on the way.

She couldn't go visit her father; he was still in the southern water tribe with Gran-Gran and Aang. And she certainly couldn't go see Toph.

She would be irate considering she had been in love with Aang since before the end of the Comet.

Afterall, Aang was the first person to show her that she could be able to go off on her own for freedom.

Katara's only choice was Zuko, so she talked to a worker for a piece of paper and something to write with and wrote to him.

_Dear Zuko, _

_Sorry about this being so sudden but… I'm on my way to the Fire Nation as I write this. I won't go into detail as I write this but I will say that I need to see you as soon as possible- so like as soon as I get there. Please try to see if you can meet me at the docks in about three days. I don't like to beg but I am now because you are the only person I can talk to. And it's about Aang- and it's not good… _

_ With lots of love and HOPE (I'm not sure if you remember that or not) that you're well, Katara_

She still hasn't heard back from him so she feels worried. But either way she can't turn back now. Katara lay down and began to drift off into sleep when there were three knocks on her door.

Katara took a moment, to sit up and rub her eyes before standing and walking over towards the door, ready to lash out on who ever interrupted her sleep.

Sleep was a luxury that she cherished now that her travels with Aang were over.

Back then she rarely had a bed to sleep in; when she got to sleep, so now when she got to sleep and especially in a bed she gets annoyed when someone wakes her up.

"What do you want?" She asked, annoyance leaking into her tone of voice.

The male outside of her door held out a rolled up sheet of paper that could only belong to a royal, and it had the seal of the Fire Nation on it.

Quickly placing two and two together Katara realized that it was from Zuko!

"I am sorry to have disturbed you this late at night Miss Katara but this was delivered for you and I was directed by the captain to give it to you immediately." He bowed his head apologetically and Katara snatched the letter out of his hands apologizing for her attitude and thanking him for delivering it.

She closed the door and ran over to the bed, throwing herself on it and opening the letter.

_Dear Katara, _

_You know you don't have to tell me when you're coming here stupid. And now you have me worried, usually you'll only not go into detail if it's bad, and you said it had to do with Aang. You two didn't break up did you? And if you need to see me that badly I'll be sure to meet you at the docks, I'll be there before your ship arrives so don't worry. And I have to talk to you too. About lots of things and about Mai… she and I broke up. We ended it two weeks ago. I'll tell you more when I see you okay? And by the way, you are the only person I can talk to about this too._

_ I do NOT say with lots of love. Crap just did. Well im not erasing it. And yes, I get it. I hope you know you have me cracking up remembering that play now. My advisors look terrified because they've never seen me laugh. See ya soon. *Zuko*_

Katara smiled to herself at the end. So she made him laugh did she? Success!

And she did feel bad about Mai and Zuko breaking up but at the same time she was secretly happy that when she showed up there and went back to the palace with Zuko she wouldn't have to see Mai's stupid emotionless face that only showed emotion when she was hurting someone or when she wanted something.

Katara held the note to her chest. _She _was the only one he could talk to.

Not Aang, not Sokka, not Toph, and not Mai! Only Katara… she felt oddly special in the fact that even though he knew he could talk to his uncle Iroh about anything he didn't think he could talk to him about this.

That or he didn't want to travel to Ba- Sing-Sei to see his uncle but either way Katara felt special.

So as she held the letter to her heart and dreamt up a million different ways of how tomorrow would go Zuko was anxiously pacing his room at the palace contemplating how he would tell Katara everything he needed to tell her before he got frustrated and threw himself into his bed and went to sleep; deciding to let tomorrow play out how it would.

Zuko awoke even before the servants in his palace did that day.

He took care of himself on most days and today included, picking out his clothes, bathing, putting them on, and then going to the kitchen to get his own food.

He opted for simple clothes since he was going to pick Katara up today and planned on doing not much else.

His hair, which wasn't much longer than it had been when they fought his father, was down and he was in plain fire-nation (Red, black, and gold) clothes, with a cloak to wear with the hood up to shield his identity.

He didn't need the hordes of people, those who both liked and _disliked _him to ruin his dat- his _day _with Katara.

So, with one last glance at a clock that hung high against the wall almost in a threatening manner he decided to start walking to the port where the ships would dock soon.

As he grew nearer to his destination he could feel his heart beat accelerate with every step he took.

Much of the morning was different for Katara.

While she may have been on a ship there were still showers available so she headed to them with a light hop in her step.

She felt like she was floating today and of course it was because of Zuko.

So after Katara showered and changed into a red dress that Lau-Rei had given her from her purchases for her daughter of the same size; that also was guaranteed to be easy to walk in just in case Zuko had plans of walking around, then she could easily and not feel over-heated.

It was awfully hot in the fire nation for a reason you know. Katara headed back towards her room and packed her things, which were only her mother's necklace which she still wore even though it contrasted with her entire outfit.

Also she had Zuko's letter which she folded neatly and placed into a pocket on her dress, but there was nothing else.

Everything else was at home- in the South Pole.

She mentally noted that she would have to go shopping while in the Fire Nation or else she'd either have no clothes or have to wear the same thing repeatedly until she decided to leave.

So as the captain shouted that they were only thirty minutes away from the Fire Nation's main ports, where she needed to be, might she add, she could feel her heart beat escalate with every step she took while she ran up the stairs to deck of the ship.

The two stared at where they would be Katara stood at the very edge of the ship and felt free for the first time in years because she knew Aang wasn't going to be upset to see her doing this.

If he saw her he would be worried and make her stop because he would fear that she would fall while Zuko, _Zuko _would join her.

He would stand at the very edge and lean over.

He wouldn't be afraid until she was in actual danger, not 'what could happen'.

Katara was smiling brighter than ever when she saw the port and saw a dark figure in a cloak.

It wouldn't have stood out if it weren't for the fact that the cloaked person was the only one.

_'Zuko…' _She felt her heart fly away.

The figure was indeed Zuko and he was admiring the girl in red on the ship's edge.

He was smiling at her slightly but it was hidden by the hood.

The girl stood there with dark red clothes on that would be perfect for when they walked around today, and her blue eyes were shining.

Her hair was down and hung down to barely her hips and was still wavy, she was more matured now because of course she was 4 years older.

Her face was more angular as well.

_'Katara…' _He could feel his heart trying to escape out of his chest.

The ship docked and Katara started to get off, she slowly walked over towards the figure, she knew with all her heart that the figure was who had been haunting her relationship with Aang- that it was Zuko.

She moved close to him, so close, and reached up- placing her hand on the scar without removing the hood knowing how important it was to hide his identity.

"Katara…" He breathed gently at last closing his eyes slightly and ever so lightly leaning into her touch.

"Zuko…" She whispered back, looking up at him still with a smile on her face.

A type of smile that only Zuko could draw out of her; her face was warming up with a light paint of red though it was hardly noticeable on her mocha colored skin.

Zuko smiled at her and took her hand into his, removing it from the scar.

"Let's get going." He said and she smiled still while nodding.

They locked their fingers and walked down the street. Katara was oblivious to the males staring at her.

The outfit she wore was nothing more than a long dark red skirt that went to her feet, a pair of golden sandals, and a red top that was strapless and cut off just below her breasts, her mother's betrothal necklace, and a golden bracelet given to her by Lau-rei.

She had always been oblivious to the male attention she got unless it was direct and obvious.

Zuko on the other hand noticed every one of the males giving Katara inappropriate glances and stares.

The looks were all but innocent.

He unconsciously tightened his grip on Katara's hand.

"Zuko is something the matter?" She asked lowly him.

He looked at her, his matured amber eyes looked into her matured blue ones. They showed all of the war and battling she had been through along with Aang, Sokka, Suki, Toph, and even him. They still had a glow of innocence, that glow that Zuko loved.

They were the eyes that had haunted his relationship with Mai.

His relationship with her had been great until she started to be very aggressive, clingy, and wanting.

The other problem was that Zuko couldn't truly be focused on his relationship due to work and that girl.

Since the first time he saw her in the southern water tribe she had been on his mind.

It only escalated when they had that first battle in the North Pole; that was where their bond had begun.

It had only grown stronger; along with his feelings for the blue eyed, mocha skinned, brown haired water bending master.

Katara ultimately the largest reason that he and Mai's relationship had ended, though she didn't know it, Mai never truly knew who it was Zuko loved truly but she had her suspicions.

They turned out to be correct in the end, but Zuko never allowed her to know that.

"Nothings the matter, let's get you some clothes. Then we can go back to the palace." He said.

She nodded slowly but Zuko knew that she wasn't fully convinced. The way she could read him like an open book was another reason he loved her so much.

Yes, the now crowned firelord and ruler of the large and ever prosperous Fire Nation, was in love with the water bending master who was now no longer the girl he had called a peasant so many years ago- it very much felt like an eternity ago- she was now the strong ambassador of the southern water tribe; a strong and beautiful woman who he was mad for.

If only he knew how to tell her, that was his biggest problem.

He had no clue as to how he should go about admitting his feelings for her, too her. By now their shopping was done and they headed back towards the palace.

Once they were there they went to the pond and started feeding the turtle ducks. It was dark by now and they were only able to see from the moon. "Zuko… Aang and I broke up." Katara sighed. Zuko looked at her with wide eyes.

"Uh… sorry…?" He didn't know what he was supposed to say. He wasn't sure if he should be sad because she was or be happy because he was.

"No, no it's okay. I'm glad it's over. I mean I still love him but not in the way he loves me." She said and tossed another piece of bread to the animals.

"Mai and I broke up too." He said and Katara looked at him.

"Oh Zuko I am so sorry!" She said and he shook his head.

"Don't be I'm glad. I love Mai but not how she loved me." Katara nodded, knowing the feeling.

"There was a reason that she and I broke up." He continued looking towards the moon. Katara turned to where she was facing him completely.

"There was a reason Aang and I broke up too." She said, looking directly at Zuko.

"You go first." He said and she laughed.

"How about no, you brought it up so you go first." She said. He chuckled and looked at Katara.

"It was you." He said.

"Me?" She asked.

"Yeah you, who else?" He asked and she blushed.

"Well what did I do?" She asked.

"You made me fall in love with you." He said and she flushed.

"Aang and I broke up because of you." She said.

"What?" He asked.

"Duh you made me fall for you too stupid." She said and he laughed before kissing her.

"Well then we only have one option." He said.

"Oh and what is that oh great and powerful firelord?" She asked sarcastically.

"Keep it up Katara… Our only choice is to show them the reason why we broke up their relationships." Zuko said and Katara doubled over laughing.

"That's a lame way to ask me out Zuko." She said in between laughing.

"Oh shut up you know you liked it."

"That I did." She laughed out.

**XxxX**

**I didn't like the length and end up still. It was my first Zutara so… yeah… R&R!**


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